Stranglers punk superstar to rock Clitheroe

Tony Dewhurst

The menacing voice of Hugh Cornwell, represented for many, their introduction to the punk rock explosion of the 1970s.

As singer and songwriter with the Stranglers, the man in black penned the buzz-saw hits of No More Heroes and Five Minutes, and the hypnotic pop hum of Golden Brown.

Thankfully, Cornwell is a man who never stands still.

His latest solo album, Monster, features ten tracks written about some of the most remarkable, and indeed famous, people of the 20th century, both heroes and villains.

There’s a feature film on the back-burner too and a science-fiction novel in the offing.

While the Stranglers are a distant memory for Cornwell, he left them behind nearly thirty years ago, society has changed beyond recognition since the feral days of punk and protest shook music’s foundations.

“I look at the younger generation and there’s not an ounce of rebellion in any of them,” said Cornwell, who brings his solo tour to The Grand, Clitheroe, next month.

“It has been bred out of them.

“Times are different, of course, and living conditions are much better and that’s very good.

“But it has become a throwaway society, and if they don’t like what is happening the kids just retreat into a safe environment.

“People are getting busier and lazier.”

Cornwell split from the men in black the day after they played a sell-out show at the Alexandra Palace in London.

“I’m intensely proud of what we did with The Stranglers, but I love the artistic freedom of working alone and testing my limitations,” he said.